Question
my spoonleaf sundew is close to the size of a baseball, with LOTS of little little plantlets, i'm planning on doing a mass reproduction in a nice big pot so i can have a mini forrest of sundews.  any particular things i should pay attention to for ensured success? the secrets CD i own doesn't give many details for this.   
ALSO, i have a few nice cape sundews and am going to attempt to do a leaf cutting or two and start multiplying my cape numbers.  besides higher humidity and constant light (and moist soil) are there any 'best practices' that i should be made aware of?

Answer
Hi Darren,

In transplanting the D. spatulata, just be careful as you try to separate them.  The mass they form in from tissue culture can be very entwined.  If you can tease plantlets apart they are easy to pot up.  They will actually get quite a bit bigger if they have room as individual plants.

With the capensis leaf cuttings, be sure to use a fungicide.  Mold is always the villian in doing cuttings.  Try to sterilize the media some before using it.  We do it by using a compound called Consan 20.  Another brand is Physan 20.  These are quanternary ammonium compounds normally used as disinfectants.  When used as directed, they will kill fungal and agal spores on peat or other media.  Be sure to use them as directed, however.  It is oxidatative (like bleach) and will kill the cuttings if you make it too strong.  Otherwise they are relatively safe to use, and not as toxic as some other fungicides.

If you want an easy, "lazy persons" appoach to sundew cuttings, and you are just doing a few, use the distilled water method.  Just take some fresh cuttings (Newer leaves work best) and place them in clear covered containers of distilled water.  Place the containers under fluorescent lights.  You'll see sprouts in about 3 weeks.  Distilled water is already sterile, so mold is rarely a problem.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com